From a discussion I had with the sensei of another local club the other day, when we were having a lot of fun at a multi-instructor seminar.

Seminar instructors - the high flying super-duper people who get invited to teach at them, seem to fall into two categories:-

(1) Those who when they're not teaching themselves, can't wait to get on the mat and learn from everybody else, as well as enjoy a rare chance to be a student for a change.

(2) Those who whilst they were quite happy to come and teach, obviously don't believe that they have anything to learn from anybody else. So when they're not teaching, they are sitting out, chatting, on the phone - anything but actually training.

We both reached the conclusion that although there are many good instructors out there, and we always learn something from them - the second category are deserving of far less respect than the first category. Okay everybody sits the odd session out, and occasionally there are issues that stop them training, but by and large an instructor who passes up on every opportunity for free learning from other high calibre instructors, shows every sign of having stopped learning, and we should be cautious of how much respect we offer them.

Are we being overly harsh, or is this reasonable?

G

Wrestle well, skillfully wield spear, sword, and dagger in a manly way. Strike true and hard and rush in - those who understand this will despise the one who defends. (Sigmund Ringeck, C15)

You, me, Splinter, KK, UKR and others have had this discussion many times. I certainly know of one organisation for whom a Dan grade seems like a licence to NOT train. I don't get it.

I agree with you.

And I'm in seminar (as a student) this Saturday followed by a "lazy" day at a grading on Sunday, but that's my role on the day; admin' with a bit of teaching thrown in. Which is why I'm in seminar the day before

Too many very high grades seem to think that they can demonstrate a few throws, strikes, locks and they have trained. You wonder how many years it has been since they were an uki. They tend to be the ones who fall into the second category.

The older I get, the harder it gets to get up from a technique - especially a big throw demonstrated multiple times…… BUT that doesn't stop me from wanting to be 'uke' as I see it as an honour.

Also when I go to a seminar, I'm honoured if I'm asked to teach, but I always go to learn - and you can always learn something, and I am always happy to practice the old stuff, it doesn't have to be new and fancy……. core foundation techniques are the lifeblood (literally) of survival, and I know that just because I could do them for a grading, I still need to keep practicing and drilling them.

I just don't understand anyone who turns up and is not planning on mucking in.

____________________________________

When your enemy comes
- welcome him.
When he goes
- send him on his way
____________________________________